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James Brady, gun control advocate, dies

Former White House press secretary James Brady, who was severely wounded during the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan led to the gun control campaign that bears his name, has died at age 73.

David Jackson,, USA TODAY
5:26 p.m. EDT August 4, 2014

James Brady is pushed by White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton during his visit at the White House on June 16, 2009.(Photo: File photo by Alex Wong, Getty Images)

Former White House press secretary James Brady, who survived a bullet wound to the head during the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan and went on to lead the gun control campaign that bears his name, has died at age 73, his family said in a statement Monday.

The family statement cited "a series of health issues" for the long-time political spokesman who was paralyzed during the attack 33 years ago.

"Over the years, Jim inspired so many people as he turned adversity into accomplishment," the family said in the statement.

Current White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Brady "really revolutionized this job" and set a standard that successors should aspire to. As for Brady's long-time campaign for gun control, Earnest said he "showed his patriotism and commitment to the country by being very outspoken on an issue that was important to him and that he felt very strongly about."

The White House press room is named in Brady's honor. So is the federal law that requires background checks on handgun buyers.

"There are few Americans in history who are as directly responsible for saving as many lives as Jim," said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Born Aug. 29, 1940, in Centralia, Ill., Brady graduated from the University of Illinois in 1962 and held a number of jobs in government and Republican politics for two decades.

A spokesman for John Connally's failed campaign for the Republican nomination in 1980, Brady later joined Ronald Reagan's team and served as spokesman for the Office of the President-elect.

Reagan -- reportedly despite objections from wife Nancy -- tapped him as White House press secretary shortly after his 1981 inauguration. Nicknamed "The Bear," the garrulous Brady was highly regarded by the press corps.

"I come before you today not as just another pretty face, but out of sheer talent," the balding Brady told reporters shortly before he got the appointment.

On March 30, 1981, Brady accompanied Reagan to a speech at the Washington Hilton when John Hinckley Jr. opened fire on the presidential party. Reagan sustained a bullet wound in one lung, and recovered.

Caught in the crossfire, Brady sustained a wound in the head that paralyzed the left side of his body. Through therapy and a series of brain operations, Brady suffered constant pain as well as some slurred speech and partial brain damage.

Brady retained the title of press secretary for the remainder of Reagan's presidency, as others performed the duties of the office.

Contributing: The Associated Press

White House press secretary James Brady lies wounded on the sidewalk outside a Washington hotel after being shot during an assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan, March 30, 1981. In the background secret service agents and police wrestle the alleged assailant to the ground. (Photo: Ron Edmonds, AP)

President Reagan, first lady Nancy Reagan and press secretary James Brady take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 9, 1981, for the refurbished press room at the White House. This was the first official appearance for Brady since being shot during the assassination attempt on the president. (Photo: Barry Thumma, AP)

James Brady, who was paralyzed in the shooting attack on President Reagan, with his wife, Sarah Brady, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington in 2011 marking the 30th anniversary of the shooting. (Photo: Evan Vucci, AP)

James Brady, his son Scott Brady, fourth from left, and wife Sarah, center, visit the press briefing room that bears his name in the West Wing of the White House with then-press secretary Jay Carney on March 30, 2011. Brady was visiting the White House on the 30th anniversary of the day he was shot in the head by John Hinckley Jr. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images)

The Brady family released this statement: "We are heartbroken to share the news that our beloved Jim 'Bear' Brady has passed away after a series of health issues. His wife, Sarah, son, Scott, and daughter, Missy, are so thankful to have had the opportunity to say their farewells." (Photo: Cj Gunther, epa)